Flame
by alwaysmakorra
Summary: There are some memories that people will never forget, no matter how hard they try to forget them.


Just a oneshot I wrote, hope you guys enjoy!

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Most people have memories forever embedded in their minds. Sometimes these recollections are filled with brightness and happiness, but other times, they were nothing but dark memories saturated with gloom and despair. And the thing about these memories, is that they never _ever _go away. No matter how hard someone tries to place them, they never leave their minds; they reside in the darkest recesses of their heads, and remain there.

Mako often suffered from the collection of moments rooted inside his head. They would haunt him at night, often waking him from a sound sleep and racking his body with fear. His forehead would bead in sweat, and his shallow breathing often disturbed Bolin from his sleep. The tiny boy would stare at the older, his eyes widened in concern. But Mako would shake his head and regain his composure, if only to put Bolin back to sleep.

Tonight was no different, a memory in particular racking Mako's brain and making it difficult for him to fall asleep.

Mako could remember the day vividly, as if it all had happened yesterday. He was 8 years old, playing quietly in his room, the sun settling over the city, when his father walked in.

"Come on son, I want to teach you something." He picked up the little boy, throwing him onto his strong shoulders and walking outside into the family backyard.

The yard was bare, save for a few pots placed around the perimeter. Mako slid off his father's back, as the older man stood in the center of the yard, standing in a way the little boy had never seen before. In an instant, Mako remembered his father step forward, and produced a stream of fire from his fist.

The boy stood shell-shocked as his father continued shooting fire from his hands and feet. He had never seen anything so captivating before, had never been so intrigued.

The taller man gestured for the tinier boy to join him, and Mako immediately realized what his father wanted to teach him: firebending. Mako stood attentively, listening to his father as he explained the basics of bending, his body tingling in anticipation to finally try it out himself.

When the time came, Mako stood alone in the backyard, his dad eyeing him intently from the side. Taking a step, he felt the energy course through his veins, and thrust his fist outward, producing a red orange flame. Mako's face lit up in joy at his accomplishment, and he turned to his father, who also wore a proud smile.

As the day wore on and his father left to run errands, Mako remained alone in the yard, continuing to practice and enhance his firebending. By the time the sun had begun to fall, the boy had already mastered an intimidating bending combo. Mako ran inside the house at the sound of footsteps through the front door, nearly jumping out of his skin to show his father what he had accomplished.

Suddenly, the little boy stopped in the middle of the family room, the sound of unfamiliar, intimidating voices filling his ears. He recognized his father's voice through the kitchen, followed by his mother's. Both were full of fear and panic. Mako's heart began to pound nervously in his chest, and his mind immediately turned to his little brother, Bolin. Upon hearing footsteps into the front yard, Mako sprinted into his parent's room, his body relaxing a bit when he saw that the boy was still napping.

The voices in the front had escalated into a full on argument, and Mako ran up to the window overlooking the yard. He saw his parents standing near the street, and three other large men the boy had never seen before. His parents wore frightened looks on their faces, fueling Mako with the urge to defend his mom and dad.

What happened in the next few seconds would never leave Mako's mind, as he saw his parents succumb to the very element his father had taught him just hours before.

The screams of agony, the explosion of flames before his eyes, Mako would never be able to forget.

It had been 10 years.

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Well, hope you guys liked it! As always, your reviews are always appreciated!

Love you guys!


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